It May Be Winter Outside
by Maeve of Winter
Summary: Dan and Mart and their children prepare for the winter holidays. Slash; established couple; kid fic. Written for the Jixemitri Circle Writing Project 9: Happy Holidays 2003.


Unabashed curtain fic and kid fic. Sorry to everyone who doesn't care for either. In my (weak) defense, this fic is likely the first of either for this pairing. This story is also my first time writing either genre; I mostly did it as an experiment, and I don't see myself writing more of either in the near future, but I thought this piece was an appropriately fluffy fic for the holidays.

Title, "It Maybe Be Winter Outside," comes from Freya82's story of the same name for Silent Witness on this same site.

Please enjoy this story. Constructive criticism and all other feedback is welcome, as it is for each and every one of my stories.

* * *

Entering the contemporary country-style kitchen, Mart Belden paused momentarily in the doorway to watch his husband in motion. Sunlight streamed in from the sweeping windows, and Dan's position brought the glow to appear around him in somewhat of a halo effect, as though he were one of God's messengers sent to Earth.

Mart grinned to himself. Dan certainly was an angel to him.

Proceeding into the kitchen, Mart joined Dan at the stove.

"Morning, babe," he said, giving Dan a kiss on the cheek and wrapping his arms tightly around Dan's slim waist. "How are you doing?"

"Stellar, now that you're here." Dan smiled at him, and deftly transferred the sizzling pancakes from the pan to several plates lined up on the marble countertop. "Just in time to be my kitchen assistant."

"What can I help with?" Mart asked fondly.

"Take these plates into the dining room, would you?" Dan requested. "I'll grab the condiments and drinks, and then breakfast is ready."

Following Dan's instructions, Mart led the way to the dining room. Their French Chateau home was roomy, with a semi-open floor plan and plenty of free space, but the modern rustic decor gave the house a cozy, comfortable atmosphere. The rooms were painted bright neutrals to accentuate the light, and the several walls of exposed stone or logs were pale in color. Frequent tall, arched windows allowed for plenty of natural illumination, but various lamps, sconces, and minimalist chandeliers were also installed to make the house as brightly lit as possible. Mart's favorite part of being stuck working late at the lab was driving back at night only to find the house an oasis of light in the dark, a shining beacon beckoning him into his home.

At the moment, both the interior and exterior of their home were bedecked with Christmas decorations: string lights, holiday garlands and wreaths, and bright ribbons trimmed with gold and silver. Knowing that Dan and Mart were too busy managing their jobs and running after two children to worry about aesthetics, Jim Frayne and his fiancee, Jane Morgan, had stopped by last Friday. As a surprise, the couple had set up the Christmas tree and then proceeded to decorate the house for Christmas both inside and out. Though somewhat bemused that their house now looked like a page from the Pottery Barn catalog, Mart deeply appreciated the thoughtful gesture of his good friends.

Their arrival in the dining room was greeted with cheers from their two children- seven-year-old Jean Louise, mainly known as "Scout," and five-year-old Robby.

"Morning, Daddy!" Scout said, smiling at Mart.

"Morning," Robby added, brushing his blond curls away from his face.

"Why, it's my two favorite kids," Mart said, as he distributed the crispy cornmeal buttermilk pancakes onto their plates. Working around him, Dan set the butter, blueberry syrup, and raspberry syrup on the table, and then moved to fill Robby and Scout's glasses with orange juice.

Mart set down the pancake platter and picked up the fruit salad bowl, doling out portions to each of them, as Dan maneuvered to pour syrup onto the children's pancakes.

"Thank you, Dad," Scout said promptly.

"T'ank you," Robby repeated solemnly.

"You're both very welcome," Mart replied.

Dan grinned at Mart. "Isn't it wonderful how children transform into sweet little angels around Christmastime?"

"It's almost supernatural," Mart joked, reaching for the carton of creamer for his coffee.

"No, Dad, wait!" Scout said excitedly. She pushed a mug of hot chocolate, accessorized with a candy cane that was slowly dissolving in the liquid's heat, toward Mart. "I helped make it special!"

"It's wonderful, sweetheart," Mart praised her, briefly trading smiles with Dan. "It was very kind of you to think of me. Thank you."

"We're gonna see the reindeer today, right?" Robby asked, syrup dripping down his chin.

"We sure are, Robert Frost," Dan told him, leaning in with a napkin to wipe Robby's face clean. "After breakfast, we're going to clean up, give you some medicine for your cold, and hit the mall to do some Christmas shopping. By the time we're done there, the Christmas petting zoo will be open at the park, and we can go to the diner for lunch afterwards."

"I'm going to wear that new coat Aunt Jane gave me," Scout announced. "She said the color was 'royal red,' like a king or queen."

For the remainder of breakfast, the children chattered animatedly about their visit to the park. Dan and Mart went through their checklist of what they needed to buy at what stores.

"I'll help Scout and Robby get ready," Mart said. He looked at Dan. "Since you made breakfast, it's only fair that I have to take on the role of child wrangler."

Dan smirked as he stood to clear the table. "I really lucked out in the husband department by getting a guy with a sense of justice."

For the next twenty minutes, Mart helped their children prepare for the day. "Shirts, sweaters, and jeans," he instructed them, as he assembled their outfits."You'll be at the mall, then the park, and then the diner. You can take your sweater off if you get too warm, but keep it on if you're cold."

Going downstairs, he went to the coat closet to gather outdoor winter gear for each family member. He had just finished collected the scarves, gloves, and hats when Scout bounded down the freestanding, lodge-inspired staircase.

"Daddy, can I wear my party shoes?" She pleaded, holding up a pair of glossy black Mary Janes and widening her eyes. "It's almost Christmas, and I would wear them then."

Unable to hold back a chuckle, Mart shook his head. "I'm sorry, honey, but no. You're going to be walking around a lot, so you have to wear sneakers. But you'll be able to wear them when we start our Christmas visits to our friends and family, okay?"

"Okay," Scout agreed, and dashed back up the curving steps.

A distressed looking Robby scampered down the steps next. "Daddy, have you seen my Star Wars gloves? I think I lost them."

"Don't worry about it, buddy," Mart reassured him. "I have your Iron Man gloves here. We can look for your Star Wars gloves later."

"But I don't want Iron Man," Robby said in disappointment.

"But you want to see the reindeer, and to do that, we have to get moving," Dan said, entering the hall just as Scout, this time in a pair of Nikes, skipped down the stairs.

"I'm dressed!" She declared. She held up a small styrofoam sphere piled with sequins and glitter. "This is the ornament I'm going to give to Aunt Jane and Uncle Jim as a thank you for my beautiful red coat. I made it in school."

"That's very thoughtful of you, Jean Louise," Dan told her. He handed Robby his dose of children's medicine. "Drink this, Robby, to get rid of your cold for good." Robby did as instructed with no small amount of gagging, and Dan handed him a glass of water to wash away the aftertaste. "You know, that's actually something I hadn't thought of," he said to Mart. "I bet your parents would love to have some handmade ornaments from Robby and Scout. I know Elijah would, and so would Uncle Liam."

"Elijah Maypenny?" Scout piped up.

"The one and only," Dan returned. "Jean Louise, honey, don't take off your scarf just yet."

"We'll stop at the craft store in the mall," Mart decided. "I'll bet they have some of those plain ceramic ornaments out for sale. We have paint and brushes here, so we can just set up our darling children with their own Christmas workshop."

"I like painting," Robby said happily.

"I like giving gifts to people!" Scout exclaimed.

Mart handed Dan his coat and cold weather effects, and Dan thanked him with a smile and a kiss on the jaw. Dan then led the way out the door to his Lexus, and Mart locked the door behind them.

Once in the car, Mart switched on the radio, tuning the signal to a station playing Christmas carols. Dan rolled his eyes at him, but wore a grin that belied his disdain. The music was greeted with enthusiasm from Robby and Scout, who began to sing along to "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree."

"This is the song in Home Alone !" Scout marveled. "It's just like in the movie. Wow!"

The Christmas singalong continued almost all the way to the mall. Mart was amused to note the relief on Dan's face when Run-D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis" started up, the unfamiliar lyrics preventing Robby and Scout from adding their own vocals. Dan parked the car close to the building, switching off the ignition just in time to cut off the opening strains of "Dominic the Christmas Donkey." When he sighed in relief, Mart couldn't hold back a chuckle, at which Dan rolled his eyes playfully.

Due to the early hour, the mall was mostly quiet, with only a small smattering of cars in the parking lot. The Belden-Mangan family made their way to the nearest entrance with no problem.

"Let's have a game plan," Dan said as they walked through the mall entrance. "I can take Scout to get her new snow boots, and we still need to pick up Trixie's Christmas present. Diana's gift was delivered early this morning, so no need to worry about that. You think Trixie will like more of those soaps and stuff?"

"Yeah, that's fine. Honey told me she really likes those bath bombs and junk like that." Mart checked his list. "I need to pick up the chocolate order at Gertrude Hawke, and I was thinking about stopping by the candle shop. Moms loves those holiday scents that are always available this time of year, so we can add a few to the gift basket for my parents."

"All right." Dan took Scout's hand and gave Mart a quick kiss. "I'll meet you in about an hour at the craft store."

"Later, sweetheart," Mart said, leading Robby to another wing of the mall. "All right, Robber, ready to go to the chocolate shop?"

"The chocolate is going into the gift baskets we're gonna give to everybody, right, Dad?" Robby asked.

"Got that right, Robster. And when you and Scout paint those ornaments, we can put those in the gift baskets, too. And then in the next couple of days, we're going to deliver the baskets to everyone," Mart replied.

"Like Santa would," Robby said happily.

"Like Santa," Mart agreed.

On their walk, Robby was awed by the various Christmas decorations. Giant ornaments were suspended from the rafters, curtains of string lights draped from the balconies, and archways of garlands stood before store entrances. In the center of the mall, a sleigh brimming with presents reposed upon a pile of cotton masquerading as snow, complete with a flashing LED Santa and a banner that read, "Santa comes but once a year."

There was a line waiting for them at the chocolate store. Mart was wryly amused at the irony of few people being at the mall in the first place, but all of them somehow winding up at the checkout counter of same store. Robby entertained himself while standing in line by people-watching, and was particularly fascinated by a young couple pushing a stroller occupied by a baby dressed in a Santa suit.

"You think he's one of Santa's elves in disguise?" Robby asked surreptitiously.

"I think anything's possible," Mart replied, struggling to keep a straight face.

After finally making their way up to the counter and collecting their purchase, Mart and Robby proceeded to the candle shop, where, luckily, there were fewer customers.

"All right, bud. We need to pick out a candle for Grandma and Grandpa," Mart said. "Don't try to touch any of the big, heavy candles, just the little ones, okay? And be careful of the displays."

"I will," Robby promised. "Let's get Grandma and Grandpa the most Christmas-y candle we can find."

After thoroughly searching the shelves, Mart purchased three candles. Robby selected one with the scent of gingerbread, Mart chose one scented with cedar and balsam, and they both agreed for the final one to smell of peppermint, remembering Peter Belden's fondness for peppermint ice cream. They were able to make their purchase quickly, despite the mall steadily becoming more congested.

Dan and Scout were already waiting for them at the craft store by the time they arrived.

"I've picked out this," Scout said, holding up a wreath ornament. "And this one." A snowflake. "And this one!" A star.

"I want this one!" Robby held up a panda bear.

"A panda?" Dan asked quizzically.

"He can be friends with a polar bear," Robby informed him patiently.

"And they can drink some Coca-Cola together." Dan grinned at their son and ruffled his hair. "There's a Forefather's Day sale going on," he informed Mart. "Three ornaments for the price of two."

"Forefather's Day, huh?" Mart mused. "Way back in 1620, the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock today. How far we've come since then."

"Yeah, I think my favorite improvement is that we no longer execute people thought to be witches," Dan agreed dryly. "Hey, while we're here, do we need any more material for the gift baskets?"

"We could pick up some ribbon while we're at it," Mart suggested. "Just to make sure we have enough and don't have to run out again to another store."

"Good idea." Dan smiled at him, and a warm satisfaction surged through Mart. Even after all this time together, he still felt enormously lucky and happy to be married to Dan.

Their errands completed, Mart and Dan loaded their two children back into the car to attend the Christmas event at the park.

"I want to see the reindeer," Robby said eagerly as they exited the car once at the park. He suddenly looked worried. "What if they start flying, and they're too high for me to see?"

"Don't worry," Scout comforted him. "I'll pick you up so you can stand on my shoulders. I promise I'll help you see the reindeer, Robby."

"I don't think either of you will have to worry," Dan reassured them. He pointed ahead, where various animals, including the reindeer were easily visible in their pens. "Looks like there aren't too many people yet. Why don't the two of you go ahead and say hello to the animals for us?"

Giggling excitedly, Robby and Scout dashed off toward the animals.

Mart took Dan's hand, rubbing his thumb over the back of Dan's palm. Dan didn't hesitate to squeeze Mart's hand in return.

Smiling warmly, Mart considered where he was in life. He had a spouse he eternally loved and who reciprocated the depth and devotion of his feelings, and two beautiful, healthy children. This Christmas, nor any other, he couldn't think of anything more he could ever want or need.

* * *

This story was written for Jixemitri Circle Writing Project 9, Happy Holidays 2003.

Required Elements:

This story should take place, at least in part, during ANY holiday from January 1 through December 31: the story took play on Forefather's Day (December 21/22).

An ornament or decoration made by a character in elementary school: the ornament Scout plans to give to Jane and Jim.

A cold: Robby is recovering from a cold and needs to take medicine.

A holiday drink: the hot chocolate Scout makes for Mart.

A baby in a Santa Suit: the baby Robby and Mart see at the mall.

A holiday TV show or movie (This can be a quote, a title or a mention of the program): Scout mentions Home Alone.

A reindeer, plastic or real: the reindeer at the park petting zoo.

Creative use of a candy cane: the candy cane Scout uses for Mart's hot chocolate.

A holiday scented candle: the peppermint and gingerbread candles Robby and Mart select for Helen and Peter.

A flashing santa saying "Santa comes but once a year.": the display at the mall.

The song: A non-traditional holiday song: Run-DMC's "Christmas in Hollis" that played on the car radio.

Carryover item(s) from the previous CWPs:

Option 2a: (The original rule) With this option, all you have to do is include a carryover item from the previous project.

CWP #8, Celebrating the 2003 Trixie Convention:

Romance between one of the seven canon BWGs and a secondary character or made-up character belonging to the author: Jim Frayne's engagement to Jane Morgan.


End file.
